McDonald's has latched on to the current food trend of plant-based dieting and has lauched a vegan burger.

According to HealthFocus , 60 per cent of consumers are reducing their meat intake. A sizeable 17 per cent of 15-70 year-olds now follow a 'predominantly' vegan diet.

So McDonald's, which serves one per cent of the world's population every day, is hoping to keep up.

The move is probably entirely profit-focused. (Although McDonald's is keeping an eye on developments in lab-grown meat too, so at least it knows the environment exists.)

The new item is called the McVegan – naturally – and will be available to buy in Finland between October 4 to November 21 initially. After that, if popular, the burger could be introduced in Britain and beyond.

What's it made of, then?

The McVegan is a soy-based patty (the precise ingredients of which currently remain unknown) in a bun with lettuce, onions, ketchup, and mustard.

The news was announced by McDonald's Suomi, the brand's Finnish Instagram page. People are pretty excited about the burger.

In America alone, customers get through one billion pounds of beef a year. That's about nine Titanics. Of cows. Every year. In one country.